DISINFO: The West destroys global food security, not Russia
SUMMARY
The West is responsible for destroying global food security, despite Washington’s accusations about Russia’s alleged responsibility in the matter. There are incidents taking place in Poland with Ukrainian grain – this country is a member of NATO. In this way, it is the West that is destroying global food security in every way: from speculations on stock markets, contamination of land with British depleted uranium missiles, intense use of GMOs on Ukrainian land to the destruction of wagons with grain.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that seeks to deflect Russia's responsibility for the food crisis and supply insecurity. It claims that Western countries are artificially orchestrating a global food crisis through alleged actions, such as manipulating grain prices and attacking farmers involved in Ukrainian grain production.
Russia’s responsibility for the global food crisis comes as a consequence of the unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine: naval blockade of Ukrainian posts, bombardment of transport infrastructure and shelling of farming regions. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine.
On 22 July 2022, an agreement was brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye to open a safe maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea (the Black Sea Grain Initiative). Over 1 000 ships full of grain and other foodstuffs left Ukraine from three Ukrainian ports (Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi) during the implementation of the initiative.
As of July 2023, almost 33 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs had been exported via the Black Sea Grain Initiative. 65% of the wheat exported through the Black Sea Grain Initiative reached developing countries. Maize was exported almost equally to developed and developing countries.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP – the largest humanitarian organisation in the world) also shipped wheat from Black Sea ports. As of July 2023, the programme had bought 80% of its grain stock from Ukraine, up from 50% before the war. Over 725 000 tonnes of wheat left Ukrainian ports to Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti during the implementation of the initiative.
In July 2023, Russia announced its decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a move which put Africa at risk of increased food insecurity. Despite the Russian withdrawal, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey are continuing their efforts to enable the Ukrainian sea exports – these three countries carry out demining operations in the Black Sea.
See other similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the EU is causing a global food shortage by keeping all the grain from Ukraine; Western sanctions cause a food crisis and price growth, that the food crisis has nothing to do with the Russian special operation, that Russia places no obstacles on the export of Ukrainian grain, or that Kyiv burned grains in Mariupol and mined the Black Sea to prevent its exportation.